Jamál, 05 Mas͟híyyat (Will), 180 B.E.
Reflections on the Life of the Spirit
Quote for Reflection:
In the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because they fear Him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven…. When a man falls in love with a human being, it is impossible for him to keep from mentioning the name of his beloved. How much more difficult is it to keep from mentioning the Name of God when one has come to love Him…. The spiritual man finds no delight in anything save in commemoration of God. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1
Question for Consideration:
Why do we pray? 2
Google Bard Response:
We pray for many reasons. Some people pray to ask God for help or guidance, while others pray to express their gratitude or love for God. Still others pray to simply connect with God and feel His presence in their lives.
According to the passage by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the highest form of prayer is when we pray for the love of God, not because we fear Him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven. When we pray this way, we are not praying for anything in return. We are simply praying to connect with God and to express our love for Him.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá also compares prayer to falling in love with a human being. When we are in love, we can’t stop mentioning the name of our beloved. In the same way, when we love God, we can’t help but pray to Him.
The spiritual man, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, finds no delight in anything save in commemoration of God. This means that prayer is the most important thing in the life of a spiritual person. It is through prayer that we connect with God and experience His love.
Here are some other reasons why we pray:
- To ask for forgiveness for our sins
- To pray for the well-being of our loved ones and friends
- To pray for peace in the world
- To pray for guidance in making difficult decisions
- To pray for strength and courage to overcome challenges
- To pray for wisdom and understanding
- To pray for spiritual growth and development
Prayer is a powerful tool that can help us in many ways. It is a way to connect with God, to receive His guidance and support, and to experience His love.
- Report of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words as quoted in J. E. Esslemont, Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, pp. 94–95 https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/compilations/prayer-devotional-life/3#687324322.
. ↩ - Ruhi Institute. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit. 4.1.2.PE May 2020. Vol. Book 1. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Institute, 2020, 17. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#RLS ↩
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